Fuel burner



June 22, 1943.

W. J. WORKMAN FUEL BURNER Filed Sept. 27, 1940 /a/zef Patented june 22, 1943 UNITED STATES FATEIJT OFFIQE FUEL BURNER Walter J. Workman, Chicago, Ill. Application September 27, 1940, Serial No. 358,593

4 Claims.

object of this invention to enable the burning of hydrocarbon fuels, and particularly lower grade petroleum oils commonly referred to as fuel oils, without the use of power-operated equipment.

v Other important objects are to effect vaporization of the fuel by passing it to a heated vaporizing member; to prevent ignition of the fuel prior to contact thereof with the vaporizing member by supplying the fuel to the vaporizing member i in a stream of air flowing with sufficient velocity to prevent such premature ignition of the fuel whereby the building up of a carbon deposit or the like may be prevented; to create such a stream of air by utilizing a so-called down draft; to induce such a draft in the vertically extending member leading to the desired point of vaporization and ignitionof the fuel; to feed the fuel into the aforesaid air stream at the upper end of the vertically extending member; to enable air to be withdrawn from the area about the lower part of a space heater when a burner embodying my invention is utilized in such a heater so as to thereby facilitate heating of the entire area around the heater; to insure interruption of operation of the burner in the event of failure to ignite supplied fuel; and to provide an efiicient and inexpensive burner which will be economical and simple in construction and oper- 'ation.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated 'in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a burner embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View of the fuel supply outlet and the valve for controlling the flow of fuel therethrough;

Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective detail views of parts that may be included in the burner illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 to provide a modified form of my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view illustrating the manner in which the parts shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are installed in the burner.

The form of my invention disclosed in the accompanying drawing embodies a base 6 for supporting the bottom member 1 that includes an upstanding lip 8. A substantially cylindrical housing 9 is provided which includes a closed upper end or top I!) and which housing has the open lower end thereof telescoped onto the upstanding lip 8 of the bottom member 1 whereby a substantially closed container is afforded. An opening II is afforded in this container below but near the top It! and a flue l2 leads there from to a suitable stack for the purpose of inducing a draft in the closed container or housing generally indicated by H.

A substantially circular burner plate generally indicated by I3 is mounted on the inner side of the bottom member I and includes a lower plate l4 terminating in an upstanding lip IS. The burner plate i3 also includes a substantially circular pan-like member l6 which includes a downwardly extending lip I! that is rested on the lower plate 14 of the burner plate l3 in spaced relation with the upstanding lip l5 whereby a channel 58 is defined between the lips l5 and 11. This channel is preferably inclined toward an opening [9 through which a drain pipe 20 is led for a purpose to be explained presently.

A vaporizing plate 2| is mounted on the upper side of the pan-like member [6 medially thereof and the vaporizing plate, in the present instance, includes three legs as 2| supporting a substantially circular medial plate 22 having a central opening 23 therein, the plate 22 preferably being located medially of the circular burner plate I 3 which is preferably centrally located in the housing H so that the vaporizing plate 2! is centrally located in the housing H. A

A centrally located opening 24 is provided in the top plate ill in alignment with the medial plate 22 of the vaporizing plate 2|. One end of a pipe 25 is passed through this opening 24 to have one end of a collar 25 fast thereon abutted against the inner surface of the top plate "I, that portion of the pipe 25 outwardly of such end of the collar 26 being screw-threaded. for the reception of a nut 21 which when tightened in position causes the pipe 25 to be firmly clamped to the top plate I0. As best shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of the pipe 25 terminates in vertically spaced relation with the medial plate 22 of the vaporizing plate 2| and preferably the axis of the cylindrical pipe 25 passes through the center of the opening 23 in the plate 22.

An upstanding wall 28 is mounted on the outer side of the top plate l0 about the pipe 25 and has an opening 29 therein. When my novel burner is to be used as a room or like space heater, such as is disclosed in the accompanying drawing, a substantially channel-shaped member or duct 30 has one end thereof passed into the opening 29 and this member is extended across the top platelll and down the side wall of the housing 9 of the space heater and terminates in spaced relation with the top of the base Gso that air may be withdrawn from the area about the base 6 passed up through the channel member 30 and into the substantially cup-shaped member 28 to thereafter flow down through the pipe 25 whereby a down draft through the pipe 25 is afforded by reason of the opening H and the flue |2. In'any event, however, such an arrangement is provided that a source of air for the upper end of the pipe; 25 is afforded.

Brackets 3| and 32 are suitably secured to the upper side of the top plate I0 and afford a support for the pipe 33, one end of which is suitably connected to the inlet 34 of a valve generally indicated by 35. The valve 35 in,- cludes an outlet 36 to which a substantially cylindrical member 31 is suitably connected, this member 31 leading from the valve 35 to a point vertically spaced from the upper end of the pipe 25, theaxis of the member 31 preferably bein aligned with the axis of the pipe. The member 31 includes a closed lower end 38 and. has a plurality of openings as 39 therein immediately above the closed end 38, suitable nozzles 49 leading from the openings 39 and being bent to lead into the upper end of the pipe 25. Restricted openings, in the form of notches 40' in the present instance, are provided at the elbows in the bent nozzles 40 for a purpose to be explained presently. A valve seat 4| is provided intermediate the inlet 34 and the outlet 36 of the valve 35 and a valve member 42 is adapted to seat on the valve seat 4| to close ofl communication between the inlet 34 and the outlet 36, the valve member 42 being screw threaded into the body of the valve member 35 and having a handle 43 secured thereto to facilitate rotation of the valve member 42 to thereby enable retraction away from, -or seating of the valve member 42 on, the valve seat 4|.

When the valve member 42 is retracted away from the valve seat 4| as shown in Fig. 3, liquid fuel, preferably flowing through the pipe 33 under the force of gravity, or from a container in which a pressure may be built up, as by having air pumped thereinto, flows to the outlet 35 andinto the member 31 and thereafter through the openings 39 and the nozzles 4|] which are preferably of a restricted size so that the oil will flow in drops from the ends thereof into the pipe 25, the notches 40 in the nozzle 40 functioning to insure that the fuel will be discharged from the nozzles in the form of drops. Moreover, while it is preferable that the fuel be discharged from the nozzles in the form of drops, it is nevertheless true that satisfactory operation will result if the fuel is supplied in one or more fine streams, as by being discharged from one or more nozzles in such form. The drops of oil, or the fine stream or streams of oil, that thus flow into the pipe 25 pass into the stream of air flowing therethrough and the arrangement is such that the velocity of air stream through the pipe 25 is sufficient to prevent premature ignition of the oil and also sufli cient to carry the fuel to the point of vaporization, as will be explained presently.

A door 44 or other means of access is provided in the housing H and preferably a readily ignitable fuel, such as kerosene or the like,- is introduced onto the top of the burner plate It and ignited so as to heat the medial plate 22 of the vaporizing plate 2| prior to the time the valve member 42 is retracted from the valve seat 4|, and it will be understood that paper orother ignitable material may be utilized for the purpose of initially heating the plate 22. Once, however, the plate 22 has been heated, the valve member 42 may be retracted, as aforesaid, so that a supply of fuel may pass into the air stream flowing through the pipe 25. At least a portion of this air stream flows through the opening 23 in the hot vaporizing plate 2| Whereby the fuel is brought into contact with this hot plate and consequently vaporization thereof occurs and the fuel'is thereby rendered easily ignitable. It is to be understood that whatever means are employed for initially heating the plate 22 are kept ignited for the purpose of igniting the first fuel supplied to and vaporized by the plate 22. Once, however, the vaporized oil fuel passing from the plate 22 is ignited, the burner will thereafter be self-sustaining. By reason of the alignment of the opening 23 in the plate 22 with the center of the pipe 25 and the spacing of the plate 22 from the plate l6, air flowing from the pipe 25 flows under the plate 22 and insures distribution of vaporized oil and the, maintenance of ignition over a wide area whereby efiicient ignition of the oil is assured.

Th intensity of the heat derived from the burner is regulated by manipulation of the valve member 42 and the more oil supplied past the valve seat 4| the more will be ignited on the burner plate 13 and, consequently, the greater will be the heat supplied. It will be appreciated that oil so supplied and burned on the burner plate l3 will maintain the medial plate 22 heated ,to effect vaporization of oil supplied and hence,

so long as the valve member as 42 is kept off the valve seat 4|, ignition will continue on the burner plate I 3.

If for any reason ignition of oil so supplied should be interrupted without shutting off the flow of oil past the valve seat 4| then the oil so supplied will fiow into the channel l8 and out through the pipe 2|! to be collected in the cup 45 disposed in position to receive oil from the discharge end of the pipe 29. The cup 45 is carried by the rod 46 supported in brackets as 41 carried by the housing 9 and the upper end of the rod 46 is connected to the operating arm 48 of a shut-off valve generally indicated by 49.

So long as the cup 45 does not have a supply of oil stored therein the arrangement is such that the valve 49 remains open to permit the there is a failure to ignite oil supplied from the nozzles 40. In some instances, particularly where a relatively heavy oil is being burned, it may be de sirable to break up the oil released from the nozzles 40 and to this end a ring 51 may be se-f cured at the lower end of the pipe 25. As best shown in Figs. 4 and 6, this ring includes a plurality of fingers 52 which extend inwardly and afford a support for a screen or other foraminated member 53,,Fig. 5, which is effective as the oil falls thereonto to break it up into a fine spray or fine drops. In order to insure a positive supply of air through the pipe 25 where a screen as 53 is employed. it is preferable to afford a medially located opening as 54 in the screen so as to insure an uninterrupted flow of air thereby. 7

It will be manifest from the foregoing description that I have provided a burner in which I premature ignition of the fuel is prevented by reason of the fuel being carried to the point of vaporization in a down draft air stream that assures distribution of the fuel over a heated vaporization plate. In the .present instance I have shown the fuel as being discharged from four nozzles as 40, but it Will be understood that a greater or less number of nozzles may be utilized as determined by the grade of fuel to be burned and other kindred factors and, furthermore, in place of nozzles as 40 one or more openings may be provided for example in the lower wall as 33 of a member as 31 aligned with a down draft pipe as 25. I

A burner embodying my invention may be utilized for a wide variety of purposes and where employed as a room heater it is particularly advantageous to arrange the air supply member as 30 to withdraw air from the area about the lower part of the burner for this facilitates heating of the space about the burner. However, my burner may be efficiently employed to supply heat through ducts as is done in the case of a socalled hot air furnace and it may also be employed for the purpose of heating water as in 5.-

a boiler or for other purposes.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described selected embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish'to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A burner of the class described including a hous ng closed at the bottom in which a draft may be induced, a vaporizing plate adapted 'to be heated when the burner is in operation, a vertical pipe leading into said housing and having the lower end thereof arranged in vertically spaced relation with said vaporiz ng plate and having the upper end thereof disposed externally of said housing whereby air is drawn through said pipe when a draft is induced in said housing,

to the pipe 33. Thus said vaporizing plate comprising a flat portion horizontally supported by spaced legs and having a central opening substantially aligned with the vertical axis of said pipe for enabling a part of the air delivered through said pipe to pass beneath said flat portion and through the spaces between said legs, a duct located exteriorly of said housing for withdrawing cool air from the space around the bottom of the burner and arranged to discharge such air adjacent tothe up- I per end of said pipe whereby at least a part of the air passing into said pipe is of relatively low temperature, and means for discharging liquid fuel into said pipe and including a plurality of spaced fuel discharge nozzles disposed at the upper end of said pipe and arranged about the vertical axis thereof for thereby introducing the fuel into the air flowing through said pipe in such a manner that the fuel is carried to and distributed over said flat portion of the heated vaporizing plate to effect vaporization and efficient ignition thereof.

2. A burner of the class described including a housing closed at the bottom in which a draft may be induced, a vertically extending pipe leading into the housing from externally thereof and in which a flow of air is induced when a draft is induced in said housing, a burner plate in said housing below the lower end of said pipe, a vaporizing plate mounted on spaced legs supported on said burner plate and aligned with but spaced from the lower end of said pipe, said vaporizing plate having an opening therein centrally aligned with said pipe and being adapted to be heated when said burner is in operation, a duct located exteriorly of said housing for withdrawing cool air from the space around the bottom of the burner and arranged to discharge such air adjacent to the upper end of said pipe whereby at least a part of the air passing into said pipe is of relatively low temperature, a plurality of fuel d scharge nozzles disposed above the upper end of said pipe externally of said housing and arranged about the vertical axis of said pipe, said nozzles being operative to discharge drops of liquid fuel into the air flowing through the pipe whereby as air flows from the lower end of said p pe over the vaporizing plate and through the opening therein the drops of liquid fuel are distributed onto said vaporizing plate to be vaporized and thereafter ignited.

3. A burner of the class described including a housing closed at the bottom in which a draft may be induced, a vertically extending pipe leading into the housing from externally thereof and in which a downward flow of air is induced when a draft is induced in said housing, a burner plate in said housing below the lower end of said pipe,

a vaporizing plate mounted on but in spaced relation with said burner plate and aligned with but spaced from the lower end of said pipe, said vaporizing plate having an opening therein centrally aligned with said pipe and being adapted to be heated when said burner is in operation, a duct located exteriorly of said housing for withdrawing cool air from the space around the bottom of the burner and arranged to discharge such air adjacent to the upper end of said pipe whereby at least a part of the air introduced to said pipe is of relatively low temperature, and discharge means arranged above the upper end of said pipe externally of said housing and having at least one restricted discharge opening therein through which liquid fuel is discharged into air flowing through said pipe, said restricted discharge means being located eccentrically with respect to the vertical axis of said pipe whereby as air flows from the lower end of said pipe over the vaporizing plate and through the opening therein the liquid fuel is distributed onto said vaporizing plate to be vaporized and thereafter ignited.

4. A burner of the class described including a housing closed at the bottom in which a draft may be induced, a vertically extending pipe leading into the housing from externally thereoi and in which a downward flow of air is induced when a draft is induced in said housing, a burner plate in said housing below the lower end of said pipe, a vaporizing plate mounted on but in spaced relation with said burner plate and aligned with but spaced from the lower end of said pipe, said vaporizing plate having an opening therein centrally aligned with said pipe and being adapted to be heated when said burner is in operation,

a duct located exteriorly of said housing for withdrawing cool air from the space around the bottom of the burner and arranged to discharge such air adjacent to the upper end of said pipe whereby at least a part of the air introduced to said pipe is of relatively low temperature, discharge means arranged above the upper end of said pipe externally of said housing and having at least one restricted discharge opening therein through which drops of liquid fuel are dis- 7 charged into air flowing through said pipe, said discharge means being located eccentrically with respect to the vertical axis of said pipe whereby as air flows from the lower end of said pipe over the vaporizing plate and through the opening therein the dropsof oil are distributed onto said vaporizing plate to be vaporized and thereafter ignited, and foraminated means in said pipe for breaking up the drops of fuel prior to contact thereof with the vaporizing plate.

' WALTER J. WORKMAN. 

